Method and apparatus for making artificial limbs of fiber



C W THOMAS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING ARTIFICIAL LIMBS 0F FIBER.

- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8,192 0. 1,3'79fi8h A M J m M y E M W m y mm A MN ,w v m xv Q 0% mm mm A WA A.

W/nvsssw N Aw C. W. THOMAS.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING ARTIFICIAL LIMBS 0F FIBER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.8, 1920. 1,379,884, Patented May 31, 1921 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ammntoz MW.

C. W. THOMAS.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING ARTIFICIAL LIMBS OF FIBER.

APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT. 8. I920.

Patented May. 31, 1921.

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING ARTIFICIAL LIlVIBS OF FIBER. 7

i 0 all whom it may concern:

'1 i i 1 I Be it hnownthat I, Urmnnns W. THoMAs,

a citizen of the United States of America,

and a resident of St. lliouigldissouri, have invented new and useful Improvements, in lvilethods and Apparatus for MalringJ-lrtificial Limbs of Fiber, which invention is fully set 'liOlillllIl the following specification. This invention .relates to improvements in a method. and an apparatus for making hol low artificial limbs of fiber. in one of the methods heretofore employed in the forma- 'tion of sucharticles, a tubular. section of fiber is first soaked. until it is plastic, the plastic material is then placed on a form shaped to the required contour of the limb, then a cord under strain or stress is spirally wound. armind the plastic tube to compress the material to the contour of the form. The application of the cord under, a. wind ing stress, suflicient to compress thematerial movement; around the material as to cause the cord to cut into the soft material to such an extent as to'wealren the wall of the fin ished prnductl Furthermore, vhenthearticle is dried and thecord removed, the exterior surface of the article found to be 'scartted andlr'idged by the impress of the 30 cord and roughened by the circumferential drawing ot the As the finished ar ticle must have a smooth exterior surface,

the ridsifcs and roughened surface must be either dressed down to give the required finish, or a filling must be applied to cover the blemishes. This additional treatment not only increases the cost of manufacture, but the dressing; down tends to weaken the finished article, and the filling-in increases the we'i 'ht without materially adding to the strength.

in the method of the present invention, plastic flat fiber cut to the required pattern.

wrapy'iedaround a mold or "form shaped tothe contour of the limb that is. tote pro duced. This term. is mounted in a support ing frame to rotate on itslongitudinal axis and, while rotated, at flat band or tape is wound without deforming tension around the fiber to hold the latter in place. This .fiat tape is applied, not by a drawing or straining action as in the former method, but by ei-tternal pressure applied to the surface of the tape contacting with the fiber in a direction radial to the longitudinal axis a of the form, By the application ofthisex- Specification 01 Letters Patent. P t ted y 31 1921 Application filed September 8, 1920. Serial No. 408,895.

ternal radial pressure, the plastic material is deformed only inwardly and not circumferentially as with the strained cord in the former method. Consequently, as the tape iswoun d without deforming tension, there is no tendency of the tape to cut into the soft material by being dragged circumferentially around the same. employment of the flattape also lessens the tendencyto cut into the soft material. Also,

by employing. the fiat tape with the edges of'the adjacent coils abutting each other, a smooth exterior surface. is given to the article that requires but little or noiinishing treatment to eliminate rough places.

The present invention also has for its object the provision of an improved apparatus by means ofwhich the foregoing method can becarried out. i p

In thedrawings, in which similar referonce. characters designate corresponding parts,

Figure l is a front elevatlon of an improvedapparatus to be employed in the practice of the novel method for hollow artificial limbs Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; y r i I Fig. 3 is'a side elevation showing a modi-:

fication of the apparatus;

v Fig. 4 isaplan View of the same.

Referring to the drawinga thesupporting frame comprises two uprights 1 connected by the two horizontal cross pieces 2. Between. the upper ends of the uprights is displaceably mounted the collapsible form or mold on which is shaped the artificial member l The form 8 is 0:15 the usual construction, being formed of longitudlnal secrights 1. The other end of the form has a bearingin-which is journaled the inner end of the holding-screw 8 threaded in the other upright 1 inline with the shaft7. On the outer end of the screw is the hand-wheel 9 for turning the screw into and out of the upright. With the screw turned inwardly and, its inner end in engagement with the Furthermore, the.

bearing in the adjacent end of the form and the square projection 5 at the other end of the form in engagement with the socket 6, the form is held in operative position in the machine. By turning the screw 8 outwardly, the form can be readily displaced. The shaft 7 has on its outer end a gear 10 meshing with a pinion 11 on the crank-shaft 12 journaled in the adjacent upright 1. By turning the crank-shaft, the form can be rotated on its horizontal axis for a purpose that will be xplained further on.

Extending horizontally across the upper part of the supporting frame is the threaded traveler l3 journaled at its ends in bearing blocks 14 secured to the frame. The traveler is held against longitudinal movement by heads 15 engaging the outer sides of the blocks 14. On one end of the traveler is the gear 16 meshing with the pinion 11 so that the traveler will be rotated simultaneously with the form. Extending across the lower part of the supporting frame is a guiderod 17 parallel to the traveler and having its ends seated in blocks 18 secured to the frame. A carriage is mounted on the traveler and guide-rod to move across the supporting frame in a position radial to the horizontal axis of the form when the latter is in operative position. This carriage comprises two vertical members 19 held in spaced relation by the block 20 secured between their lower ends and the plate 21 attached to their up per ends. On the lower ends of the members 19 are the bearing blocks 22 through which passes the guide-rod 1'7 and on the upper ends of the members are the threaded blocks or nuts 28 engaging the traveler 13. As the latter is rotated through its engagement with the nuts 23, the carriage is moved across the supporting frame.

Vertically guided in the upper part of the carriage between the members 19 is the re cessed slide-block 24; held in alinement by friction rolls 25 journaled on pins projecting from the opposite sides of the slideblock and engaging vertical slots in the members 19. In the recess of the slide-block is the coiled spring 26 resting at itslower end on the upper end of the screw 27 passing through the block 20 and engaged by the nut 37 resting on said block. This spring, when compressed, tends to move the slideblock toward the torm 3 when the latter is in operative position. In the upper end of the slide-block is journaled the roller 28 having its periphery formed of medium hard rubber to bear against the form 3. By turning the nut 37 to vertically adjust the screw 27, the tension ott-he spring can be regulated and the pressure of the roller on the form adjusted to meet the require. ments. The purpose of the roller is to compress the material on the form by forcing against the same a metallic band or tape 29,

which also may be made of woven fabric in the form of a flat cord.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The material of which the artificial limb is composed is vegetable fiber commonly furnished for the purpose. A sheet of this material is cut to the required pattern and soaked in water until it becomes soft and pliable. It is then wrapped on the collapsible form 3 and the latter is mounted in the apparatus between the ends of the shaft 7 and the screw 8 andv the parts are adjusted to hold the form in place. By turning the traveler 13, the carriage 19 is moved to the right, as the apparatus is shown in Fig. 1, to position the presser roller 28 opposite the thicker end of the form. WVith the carriage so adjusted, an end of the metallic tape, which may be wound on a spool carried by the operator, is passed through the opening between roller 28 and the slide-block 24, partly around the roller and onto the end of the form, and is temporarily secured thereto in any suitable manner, for instance, by nail driven through the end of the tape and the fiber into the wood of the form. Then, by turning the crank-shaft 12, through the intervening gears, the form 3 and the traveler 13 are simultaneously rotated. As the form rotated, the metallic tape is spirally wound on the same. The tension of the tape is only slight, sufficient to guide it properly, but not enough to deform the plastic material. The rotation of the traveler, through the intervening mechanism, will move the presser roller 28 along the form with the roller pressing the tape against the plastic material. The radial pressure of the roller will force the fibrous material against the form and shape it to the contour of the same. The pressure of the roller can be regulated to meet different requirements by adjusting the tension of the spring 26 by turning the screw 27. The material shaped by the pressure of the roller is held in place by the metallic tape. As the tape is wound onto the material, the operator manipulates the same so that it is wound without deforming tension smoothly onto the'material with the edges of the adjacent coils. abutting each other so that, at the completion of the winding, the material is inclosed by a metallic casing with a comparatively smooth contacting wall. The deformation of the plastic fiber isaccomplished solely by the pressure-roller 28 bearing on the material, as the tape is wound without deforming tension. When the entire length of the tubular section is wound, the other end of the metallic tape is temporarily secured to the form. Should it be required, to obtain further compression of the material, the roller can be applied again and any slack that may be rolled into the tape terial dried in any suitable manner.

metallic tape applied and secured, the form is removed from the machine and thema- Duringr the drying, the material. is firmly held to the shaped contour by the metallic tape. l-lrtteitdrying, the metallic tape is removed and the exterior surface of the article will be found to be extremely smooth, owing to the fiat contact of the metallic tape with the edges of the adjacent coils abutting each other. The mold is removed from the shaped article by withdrawing the wedgeshaped inner section to permit collapse of the other sections. 7

It is to be observed that, in the application of the tape there is no; straining or drawing oi: the, tape across the material to displace the same circumierentially; the diswill be given a smooth exterior surface, re-' quiring but little or no subsequent finishing toehmmate rough places In the modification shown in Figs; 3

andl, there is a vertical carriage 19 and a horizontal carriage 19*, both of, the same being constructed as the carriage in the first instance. roller 28 and on the carriage 19 the presser roller 28*, both rollers and their adjuncts; being ot the same construction as the presser roller in the first instance. The purpose of the plural. presser rollers in the modification is to provide sufficient application of pressure in asingle operation of the machine. :ll ith but one roller, the application of pressure might be insufficient to displace thematerial to the required extent and repetition o'li' the operation would be required.

With the two rollers there would be a double application of pressure in a single operation of the machine. i

In the modification, the traveler 13 for propelling the horizontal. traveler is driven by the sprocket chain 30 leading from the sprocket wheel 31 on the traveler l?) driving the vertical carriage to the sprocket Wheel 32 on. said traveler 13 The traveler 13 is rotated as in the first instance.

In the modification, the flat tape, instead of being WOLll'ld on a spool to be carried in the hand of the operator as in the first in stance, is coiled on a reel 33 mounted on the horizontal carriage 19, the tape or band (hi the carriage 19 is the presserleads from the reel over the guide-roll 34,

under the presser roller 28 and onto the tubular section of plastic'fiber carried by the form. {As the carriagestravel across the machine, the tape is ted off the reel and is spirally wound withoutdeforming tension on the form to be pressed thereon by both press-er rollers 28 and 28". roller no is positioned slightly in advance of the roller 28? so that the latter will fol-v l. The method ofmaking hollow artificial limbs of sheet fiber, consisting in shaping the sheet fiber to the requlred preliminary pattern, soaking the fiber until it becomes plastic, placing the plastic 1 sheet fiber around a form, deforming the plastic fiber to the contour of the form by rolling pressure progressively applied to the material, and retaining; the deformed fiber on the form until set by a band Wound without" deforminp; tension on thefiber in iLClVttIlCG-Qili the rolling pressure 'to be conformed thereby to the contour of the deformed material.

2. In apparatus for making); hollow arti ficial limbs of plastic sheet fiber,'a rotatable form to receive the plastic sheet fiber, a roller under pressure movable along the form to bear on the plastic sheet'fiber to deform the materialto the contour oi the form as the latter rotates, and a band wound without deforming tension on the plastic fiber as the form rotates in advance of the rollerto be pressed by said roller to follow the deformation of the fiber to hold the deformed material to the conto'urrol the form until it becomes set.

3/111 apparatus tliormaking hollow artificial limbs orplastic sheetliber, a supporting frame, a rotatable torm displaceably mounted in the frame to receive the plastic sheet fiber,,a carriage movable on the frame parallel to the axis of rotation of the term,

a spring-pressed roller carried by the car-- riapge to bear on the plastie'fibento deform the material to the contour of the form as the latter rotates and as the carriage travels across the frame, and a. band wound without deforming tension on the plastic fiber as the form rotates in advance of the roller to be pressed by said roller to follow the deformation of the fiber to hold the deformed material to the contour of the form until it becomes set.

l. Inapparatus "for makinghollow artificial limbs of plastic sheet fiber, a supporting frame, a rotatable form displaceably mounted in the frame to receive the plastic sheet fiber, a carriage movable on the frame parallel to the axis of rotation of the form, a spring-pressed roller carried by the car- The presser,

riage to bear on the plastic fiber to deform the material to the contour of the form as the latter rotates and as the carriage travels across the frame, means for regulating the pressure of the roller, and a band wound without deforming tension on the plastic fiber as the form rotates in advance of the roller to be pressed by said roller to follow the deformation of the fiber to hold the deformed material to the contour of the form until it becomes set.

5. In apparatus for making hollow artificial limbs of plastic sheet fiber, a supporting frame, a rotatable form displaceably mounted in the frame to receive the plastic .sheet fiber, a carriage movable on the frame parallel to the axis of the rotation of the form, a spring-pressed roller -mounted on the carriage to move radially to the axis of the form to bear on the plastic fiber to deform the material to the contour of the form as the latter rotates and as the carriage travels across the frame, and a band wound without deforming tension on the plastic fiber as the form rotates in advance of the roller to be pressed by said roller to follow the deformation of the fiber to hold the deformed material to the contour of the form until it becomes set.

6. In apparatus for making hollow artificial limbs of plastic sheet fiber, a supporting frame,'a rotatable form displaceably mounted in the frame to receive the plastic sheet fiber, a carriage movable on the frame parallel to the axis of rotation of the form, a blockslidable in the carriage at right angles to the axis of the form, a spring pressing the block toward the axis of the form, a roller carried by the slidable block and pressed by the spring to bear on the plastic fiber to deform the material to the contour of the form as the latter rotates and as the carriage moves across the frame, means for regulating thetension of the spring to adjust the pressure of the roller, and a band wound without deforming tension on the plastic fiber as the form rotates in advance of the roller to be pressed by said roller to follow the deformation of the fiber to hold the deformed material to the contour of the form until it becomes set.

7. In apparatus for making hollow artificial limbs of plastic sheet fiber, a supporting frame, a rotatable form displaceably mounted in the frame to receive the plastic sheet fiber, a carriage movable on the frame parallel to the axis of rotation of the form,

mechanism for rotating the form and simultaneously propelling the carriage, a spring pressed roller mounted on the carriage to move radially to the axis of the form to bear on the plastic fiber to deform the material to the contourof the form as the latter rotates and as the carriage moves across the frame, and a band wound without deforming tension on the plastic fiber as the form rotates in advance of the roller to be pressed by said roller to follow the deformation of the fiber to hold the deformed material to the contour of the form until it becomes set.

8. In apparatus for making hollow artificial limbs of plastic) sheet fiber, a supporting frame, a rotatable form displaceably mounted in the frame to receive the plastic sheet fiber, a plurality of carriages movable on the frame parallel to the axis of rotation of the form, mechanism for rotating the form and simultaneously propelling the carriages across the frame, a spring-pressed roller to follow the deformation of the fiber dially to the axis of the form to bear on the plastic fiber to deform the material to the contour of the form as the latter rotates and as the carriage-s move across the said roller to follow in deformation of the fiber to hold the deformed material to the contour of the form until it becomes set.

9. In apparatus for making hollow artificial limbs of plastic sheet fiber, a supporting frame, a rotatable form displaceably mounted in the frame to receive the plastic sheet fiber, a carriage movable on the frame parallel to the axis of rotation of the form, a spring-pressed roller mounted on the carriage to move radially to the axis of the form to bear on the plastic fiber to deform the material to the contour of the form as the latter rotates and as the carriage moves across the frame, a reel mounted on the carriage, and a band coiled on the reel to be withdrawn from the same and wound without deforming tension on the plastic fiber as the form rotates in advance of the roller to be pressed by said roller to follow the deformation of the fiber to hold the deformed material to the contour of the form until it becomes set.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

C. W. THOMAS. 

